Soccer’s Secret Sauce: The Immigrant Influence on Team USA

In this episode of Sportly, host Kavitha Davidson breaks down the moment that changed American soccer forever: Paul Caligiuri's "Shot Heard' Round the World." This iconic goal, which ended the U.S. men's soccer team's forty-year World Cup drought, highlights a much larger story—the powerful influence of immigrant players and their families on American soccer. From their unique skills and global experience to their resilience and passion, foreign-born players have been the backbone of the sport's rise in the U.S. Kavitha explores what makes America's soccer scene so appealing to immigrant athletes, the cultural impact they bring, and how they've shaped the game we know today.

Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producers: Saadia Khan & Shei Yu I Content Writers: Jonathan Hazel, Shei Yu & Kavitha A. Davidson I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele

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